Laws are meant to be broken or twisted is an old saying and the state of Nagaland seems to have proven this.

Even though it is a "dry state", however, in Nagaland around 8.1 per cent of the population, which accounts for 3.62 lakh people, consume alcohol and this is highest among the states where consumption of alcohol is banned- revealed a study report.

In Nagaland, according to the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act (NLTP), the sale and consumption of alcohol were banned in 1989.

However, it has been estimated that (as of 2014) around 500 illegal liquor bars are there in Dimapur and to add on to it, alcohol is smuggled to the state from Assam as well.

According to a study, in Nagaland, the males are more dependent on alcohol than females.

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The study further revealed that 14.5 per cent of Naga males consume alcohol and to every one alcohol-consuming female, there are 17 alcohol-consuming men.

The study further found out that even though the state of Nagaland has its own local brew, however, the consumption of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) is higher.

The study further revealed that the majority of alcohol users in the state have been consuming it in a "harmful manner".

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It is worth mentioning here that according to the Magnitude of Substance Use in India, 2019 report, released by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in February earlier this year, around 14.6 per cent of the population or 16 crore people between 10 and 75 years of age consume alcohol in the country.

Moreover, alcohol is the most common psychoactive substance used in India.

The report further stated that over 5.7 crore Indians are affected by harmful use of alcohol and that they need help for their alcohol use problems.